Limitations and conclusion
Our study is limited in several respects and, therefore, further avenues for research are possible. First, we use single informant reports to identify the independent and dependent variables. Although our results do not reveal any common method bias issues, future research should validate our findings by using multiple data sources. Second, we relied on cross-sectional data to analyze the impact of the implementation sequence on performance outcomes. Future research should focus on analyzing this issue from a longitudinal perspective. Third, although our interviews with CRM experts do not indicate endogeneity issues concerning the relationship between a later implementation of organizational alignment and CRM performance, further studies need to investigate the time dynamics and contingencies of these variables. Despite these limitations, our study makes an important contribution to the literature regarding the role that the CRM dimensions' relative time implementation plays in CRM performance. This study specifically contributes to the literature (1) by confirming that CRM dimensions do not contribute equally to customer acquisition, growth, and customer loyalty; and (2) by demonstrating that, compared to other CRM dimensions, a later implementation of organizational alignment lessens performance significantly. The insignificant effect of the customer management dimension on CRM performance specifically requires further investigation. Future research on the adoption and implementation of customer management activities in different departments with customer contact (e.g., the sales or the research and development departments) would be valuable. Finally, our findings support the notion that distinct CRM dimensions should not be seen in isolation, but in their overall orchestration: The relative time of implementing CRM activities can, therefore, affect CRM performance. In this regard, our study suggests that future research should consider the temporal integration of complex process dimensions to investigate the synergies in their order over a period of time.
